The bento box is really cool! The top tier has a movable divider to help keep foods separated.

The picks are really cute. They feature starfish, seahorses, fish and other fun sea creatures.
These are brand new. Unfortunately, my 3 year-old daughter was testing out her scissor skills and cut the top of the package open. I promise you I didn't lick but a few of them.
Just kidding! They are all sparkly and clean, I swear! :)
The silicone cups are super cool, I've been using some of these blue ones a lot lately! They came as a set of six and I put these ones aside just for this giveaway - just for YOU! :)

I neglected to take a better close-up photo of the egg molds. They are the same ones as I used when I made this tutorial on how to make shaped eggs! You can check them out more closely there, and read some easy-to-follow directions too. If you win these you may need that little "how-to", unless you read Japanese, of course. ;-)

All this fun stuff could be yours!

How to enter the giveaway:

This is where it gets a little tricky.
There are so many contests and giveaways these days where you can earn entries to the prize by jumping through all sorts of hoops...
- "Become a fan of my Facebook page!"
- "Follow me on Twitter!"
- "Say 'Shelley sells seashells by the seashore three times really fast!"
- "Rub your tummy and pat your head!"
- "Subscribe to my blog's feed!"
- "Follow my blog!"

I could even ask you to vote for me in a silly little Mom Food Blogger contest I was nominated for.

Well, I could do those things. But I'm not going to. Because this contest isn't for me or about me.

This contest is for you and it's about Alex.

This is Alex.
Alex just turned six.
He loves lizards, balloons, and Cracker Barrel.
Alex has a fierce affection for tractors and has a smile that could melt your heart. He also has cancer.

He is the son of my friends, Andrea and Erik Kallas. Alex was adopted from Russia when he was 13 months old. It was known then that he suffered from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A couple years later he would be diagnosed with Autism also. Those are some pretty tough hurdles to navigate, but they are nothing compared to what came next.
In November Alex was diagnosed with Stage 3 High Risk Neuroblastoma. Nobody wants their child to have cancer. But if your child is going to get cancer, this is the one you hope to God they don't have. It is a terrible, horrifyingly aggressive form of cancer. Alex was given a 20% chance to survive.

In the 7 months since his diagnosis Alex has undergone seven in-patient *adult dose* rounds of chemotherapy. He has had a stem cell transplant. Alex has just completed his 8th round of radiation, with twelve more to go.
Neuroblastoma is a sick, vile disease.

But Alex, Alex is beautiful.

Even with insurance, the financial ramifications of having a critically ill child are staggering. Alex's parents have been hit with medical costs in the tens of thousands of dollars. One example: chemotherapy has caused severe hearing loss, requiring Alex to need hearing aids. Hearing aids are not covered by insurance. Hearing aids cost nearly $4,000.

Why I am telling you this.

There is a way you can help Alex's family. They have been entered in a contest. If they win this contest their family will win a weekend vacation (a huge blessing for so many reasons, but it's a long story...take my word for it, this family has earned a vacation together). If they win this contest they will also win $15k. Fifteen thousand dollars to help pay medical bills.

To vote for Alex you need to click the "votes" box and then "sort".
The family is listed as "Andrea K. - Spring Hill, Tn (6/1/2010)".
Then click where is says "vote", just to the left of Andrea's name. At the time of this posting they are in 3rd place.

You may vote from any computer once EACH DAY for the entire month of July.

Each time you vote for Alex, leave a comment on this giveaway post. You will get one entry for every vote you cast. Again, you can vote once a day from every computer. If your phone has internet access you can vote from there too.

** I'm running this contest until next Tuesday, July 13. I'll close the contest sometime that night, probably between 10-11pm CST. Winning comment will be selected by random.org.
If this giveaway proves successful I will dig deep into my bento stash and host ANOTHER giveaway after this one to garner more votes for the Kallas family. It's up to you. I've got some good stuff in there.

Miracles happen. Miracles happen every day. A miracle is happening right now for Alex.

Be a part of Team Alex. Cast your vote. And keep this sweet boy in your prayers.

I think you are able to vote from 2 different internet browsers as well, hence I voted twice. I recently lost my uncle to cancer and I only wish his wife and children had gotten one last vacation with him.

I voted. I have two adopted daughters myself, one who came to us with undaignosed issues, one who we adopted from the waiting child list(known medical issues)...both are the light of our lives and to witness a family dealing with such an illness is terribly sad.

OMG. I have tears in my eyes after reading about little Alex. Our family has also been touched my cancer. My mother in law died when my husband was 12, and my brother in law died two weeks ago at the age of 48. I also have several family members who have suffered from cancer, but thanks to God and chemo, are currently cancer free...but that's not why I'm crying. I'm crying because I also have a son affected by autism, and I can't imagine him losing his hearing on top of all he is already battling. I fight everything day to reteach my son the things he's lost, and never learned...and can't imagine having that mountain to climb too. My heart goes out to Alex and his parents. Praying (and voting for them)!!!

Alex looks like such a sweet little boy. I voted but wish I could more for him and his family. Is there a fund set up for him or an address where I can mail a donation? We will say a special prayer for Alex each night.

This is so heartbreaking. I truly hope to see them rise to 1st place, and miracles do happen so I will keep them in my prayers every day. Thank you for caring enough to do this giveaway as a way to help them...that is amazing.

I voted! I really hope they get this much deserved vacation! Thank you for posting and sharing their story. Please remind us frequently to keep voting and thanks for all of your bento ideas! My girls are loving their bento lunches and snacks.

Voted. I have three kids, two of which (my daughters) are adopted: one with special needs (domestic) and one with some substantial developmental delays (from Guatemala). <3 Suffice to say, international adoption (and adoption in general) is so, so, so close to my heart.

I think something may be wrong with that site! I voted last night and the votes were at 3619. It was the same this morning when I tried to vote on my phone, then on my computer using 2 different browsers. When I click on "vote" nothing happens!!

Your giveaway items are beautiful, and I'm sure my wife and kids would love them, but I am voting and voting again for Alex and trying to spread the word wherever I can. I probably won't add any other comments here, but you can count on me for a lot of votes. Good for you for alerting your readers to his need. My prayers are with his family.

What a grand friend you are for including Alex in your blog, and sharing his story with us. Totally gave me goosebumps. Keeping them in my prayers. I voted for Alex and am sharing his story with my friends and family ;)

children truly are such a gift to us & so good at teaching us the true lessons in life - i wish alex & his family as many happy moments together as there are stars in the night sky (i've voted for them & hope to do so each day for the next week)

melissa, this is such a kind way for you to share the plight of others, you are a lovely human being x

PS i've become a regular at j-list's website in japan because of you - we have lots of picks etc for our lunches and dinners now too! :)